Eros Time
by ToonYoungster
Summary: On Valentine's Day, Koro-sensei contemplates on the various aspects that make up this difficult concept known as "love". All while mercilessly shipping his students.


**notes** \- I do not own Assassination Classroom or its properties. That all goes to Matsui Yuusei, the best mangaka of our time.

* * *

 **~ Eros Time ~**

After I finish up the last drop of my Chai tea, I survey across the room to my fellow instructors. My colleague, Karasuma-sensei, is busy at work on his laptop, as is the usual. Sitting right across from him is Irina-sensei, diligent in her silence, only looking up to steal glances at the man who had stolen her heart.

On the outside, this was but another typical morning in the teacher's office. And any other day, I would do everything in my power to assist Irina-sensei in breaking down Karasuma-sensei's ironclad professionality, so that he may one day return her feelings.

But today is special, and I'm afraid I must leave my colleagues for the time being in order to tend to more important matters.

"Delicious, as always." I place my teacup down and rise out of my seat. "Well, time to start homeroom."

"Class doesn't start for another fifteen minutes." Karasuma-sensei says pointedly.

"Yes, I know. But today is a very special day, I don't intend to miss a second of it."

I head out to leave, but not before making a quick stop to whisper in Irina-sensei's ear. "I suggest you make haste and present your gift already, Irina-sensei. There's nothing more troublesome for a tender romance than indecision."

I'm out the door before Irina-sensei has time to reach for a knife. As I hear her curse me out behind me, I slither forward, absolutely giddy with anticipation by the time I reach the entrance to my beloved Class 3-E.

Nurufufufu. Yes, I'm sure today is going to be quite interesting.

When I slide open the door, I'm pleased to find that all of my students are already in the classroom, chatting idly amongst themselves. And I'm even more pleased to find that several of the girls are moving about with small bags and boxes in hand.

"Morning, Koro-sensei." Hara-san, holding out a small bag of truffles, comes to greet me, along with Fuwa-san and Kimura-kun. "Happy Valentines Day!"

"The same to you, Hara-san." I graciously take the gift, making a mental note for later to check for any poisons. "I hope everyone will come to have a splendid Valentine's Day."

"Easy for you to say," Kimura-kun retorts goodnaturedly. "With everyone busy with their Valentine's Day plans, I doubt anyone will attempt to kill you today."

"Fine by me." Fuwa-san offers a sly chuckle. "This is the perfect opportunity for a Valentine's Day chapter. That'll be sure to satisfy the shippers out there."

As I hurry over and take a seat in my desk, my thoughts run wild with potential love developments. Could this be the day that Okano-san finally admits her feelings to Maehara-kun? Will Yoshida-kun and Mimura-kun make a move on Kanzaki-san? Will Sugino-kun come to sweep her away first? Perhaps Hayami-san will give true love's chocolate to Chiba-kun? Oh, the possibilities for novel material are endless! Perhaps I should give them all a little push, just to get the romantic juices running.

I immediately stop myself. No, Sensei, you mustn't. Remember what Nakamura-san said during your Test of Courage fiasco. My students have other priorities to deal with. Unlike their teachers, they're too young and too inexperienced to handle romantic affairs. It's best to let them proceed with their love lives at their own pace.

Once I've got a clear view of the room, I casually pull out my copy of _Young Jump_ and lift it over my face, giving myself room to peek over the top.

Who's to say I can't at least enjoy myself as a spectator? Nurufufufu.

"Are you serious? Man, I only got one box and you already got _seven_? That's just not fair."

Situated up front, I see Mimura-kun expressing grievance with Maehara-kun, who has quite the collection of Valentine's Day chocolates placed on his desk.

"It's no big deal," he tells him. "Four of these were from my exes, so it's not like they're all that special."

"What kind of attitude is that?" Okano-san walks up to him, clearly displeased. "Maybe if didn't fool around so much, you'd learn to be more appreciative of a girl's feelings."

"Hey now, I'm not saying that I don't appreciate them," he defends. "It's just that I know my exes enough that I'm sure they just gave me chocolates out of pity. Not because they're still into me or anything."

"Yeah, I'll bet." And that's when Okano-san digs out a small, transparent bag of chocolates from inside her school bag. I can tell with my zoom-eyes that they're homemade. "Here, obligation chocolates. Hopefully, they're a little more "special" than the ones you already got."

Maehara takes her gift with a teasing smirk. "Why thank you, Okano-san. You clearly put your heart and soul into these, so I'll be sure to savor every last bite."

"Shut up."

I sigh at this little show of flirting. As always, Okano-san is sidestepping her own feelings for Maehara-kun by projecting her anger onto his dating habits. Though she may be right, this is only serving to fuel her denial. Dishonesty is one of the most destructive means by which love fails, Okano-san. Sensei understands that the truth can hurt, especially in matters of the heart. But if you can acknowledge your feelings and embrace them, you'll find yourself with a lot more confidence, both in you and in Maehara-kun.

"Now if we're talking sheer numbers, then this guy here has us _all_ beat!"

Maehara-kun gestures to his right, where Isogai-kun has only a modest laugh to offer him. Upon closer inspection of his desk, I notice that my fellow _ikemen_ has a total of twelve in the number of chocolates he's received, along with a couple of love letters mixed in.

Isogai-kun decides to play it off. "I'm just flattered that so many girls have expressed this much interest in me. It's unfortunate that I'll have to turn each of them down. I'll be sure to give them all a proper thank you on White Day."

In the back, I hear Kayano-san shriek, " _He's an ikemen!"_

"Oh, and thanks again, Kataoka-san." he says to his fellow class representative. "Your chocolates look really good, even if they did turn out a little messy."

"Thanks, I know my baking skills could use a little work," she laments. "Though I'm a little more concerned with just how many chocolates I got myself."

Judging from her expression, it seems that Kataoka-san has been courted once again by her many female admirers. The others gives her sympathetic looks, except for Yada-san, who has stepped up rather anxiously.

"Then I'm guessing you wouldn't be up for one more, huh?" She presents to her a small box while trying to sound nonchalant on the matter.

"Oh, of course not!" Kataoka-san stands up to receive her gift. "I'll always accept a box of chocolate, even more so when it's from a close friend."

She joins the rest of her E-class friends as their conversation shifts to a brainstorming session on how to assassinate me. As this goes on, Yada-san has taken a seat on Kataoka's desk, and while she contributes to the discussion, it's clear that her mind is more interested in the only other pony-tailed girl in the class.

Oh! I can hear my heart ache every time I see that yearning expression on her face. Your surprisingly good at disguising your feelings, Yada-san. And unlike Okano-san, you've definitely have come to accept these feelings you have for your friend. I commend you for being so mature about it.

Admittedly, I feel rather guilty for not foreseeing this development earlier. Though there is much that I love about the Japanese culture, their rather dismissive stance on queer relations is something I would like to change. Perhaps that sort of thinking had subconsciously influenced me, which is why I had never considered the possibility of homosexual relationships between my students. Still, that's no excuse, and I would very much like to apologize, Yada-san. As your teacher, I swear to be more open minded about these things. And if you're ever feeling brave enough to confess, then I'll be sure to lend you a helping tentacle.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sugino-kun!"

In the middle of the classroom, I see our baseball enthusiast takes Kanzaki-san's delicately wrapped truffles with a most joyous expression on his face. "Thanks, Kanzaki-san! I-I'm sure that it'll be the most delicious thing I'll ever eat!"

She smiles sweetly at him, then circles around to get to Nagisa-kun, giving him his own bag of chocolates. I notice Kanzaki-san's demeanor visibly brighten when he accepts it.

Once she's left the two boys alone, Sugino-kun sighs and stares at his treats with mild disappointment. "I know it was never gonna happen, but I was kind of hoping that Kanzaki-san would give me true love's chocolate."

His best friend offers him a smile of condolence. "Don't give up, Sugino. You're one of Kanzaki-san's closest friends. Give it time and I'm sure things will work out."

As Nagisa-kun says this, I catch Kayano-san looking in his direction with a troubled look. She has her hand discreetly placed in her schoolbag, and there's a glimpse of some homemade chocolates in her grasp. She's like this for a few seconds before she zips her bag shut, the sweets forever hidden.

Tears run down my face as I've just witnessed not one, but two couples at a romantic standstill. In this world, there is nothing more heartbreaking than a one-sided love. At least the objects of affection haven't rejected their admirers, and given how polite Kanzaki-san and Nagisa-kun are, I really can't see them giving particularly harsh rejections.

But even more interesting is that it appears that Kanzaki-san now holds some degree of affection for Nagisa-kun. Could this be the start of a scandalous love square!? No, I'm sure it won't come to that. The four of them are so comfortable and easygoing with their friendship that vicious relationship drama just doesn't seem possible. Sugino-kun would never cut ties with Nagisa-kun over a girl, and the same goes for their female partners. Though it's a tad boring for my manuscript, it's nice to see that my students are more grounded than that. As is the case in my assassination, running on pure emotions solves nothing.

"Man, at least you guys actually _got_ chocolates." I turn my attention to Okajima-kun, who has since joined Nagisa-kun and Sugino-kun's conversation. "Fifteen years have gone by, and not a single girl has ever given me so much as a candy bar."

He tucks his hands behind his head in self-defeat, and the two boys are struggling with how to respond to this.

"Hey, don't sweat it, dude," Sugino-kun attempts. "I'm...sure it'll happen eventually."

This does nothing to help his mood. "I just want a cute girl to offer me some true love's chocolate on Valentine's Day, at least once. Really, that ain't asking too much, right?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Oka-chin!"

My comrade in boob fanaticism is taken aback when out of nowhere, Kurahashi-san appears with a bright smile and a cylindrical tin of sweets. The container is carefully adorned with sequins, colored foil, and a blue ribbon. Definitely a personalized gift.

"...for me?" Okajima-kun is in shock, and doesn't move when Kurahashi-san takes his hand to relinquish the treats.

"Yup! I handmade them, just for you!"

After a few moments of silence, Okajima-kun explodes out of his seat and begins dancing on thin air with his gift.

" _AW YEAH!"_ he cheers. "After all these years, my loveless streak of Valentine's Days has finally come to an end! A real girl, falling in love with me! Oh man, thanks, Kurahashi! This is way unexpected! And if you really wanna start dating, then yeah, I'd love–"

He recognizes on the way down that Kurahashi-san had completely ignored him, and is now offering Nagisa-kun and Sugino-kun chocolates as well. Their containers match that of Okajima-kun's, and they are each decorated with a similar yet distinctive crafting.

He stares agape. "Huh? You're giving _them_ chocolates too?"

"Of course!" she answers, her cheeriness unwavering. "I always give obligation chocolates to every boy in my class."

This causes Okajima-kun to wail in agony, and my most perverted student sinks into his seat until he most certainly looks half-dead.

"I knew it was too good to be true," he bemoans. "There goes my dream of scoring a hot babe on Valentine's Day."

"Don't worry, Oka-chin." Kurahashi-san pats his head as she passes by. "I'm sure there's a babe out there for you somewhere."

Those are some wise words right there, Kurahashi-san. In a world of over six billion people, there could very well be that one person who is compatible with you on every level, from interests, values, and even cup size. Unfortunately, most people don't have the luxury of traveling great distances to meet that person, even with the wonders of online communication. That said, limiting your dating pool to your immediate area is the most practical alternative.

And amongst all the girls in this classroom, I sincerely believe that Kurahashi-san is the one for you, Okajima-kun. For someone like you, who is so comfortable in his own skin and wears their personality on their shoulder, you need someone who's as equally upfront. Kurahashi-san is forever sincere with everything she does and says, and would never judge someone's interests. While the other girls hold some disdain for your perverse behavior, Kurahashi-san never rejects that part of you, even if she doesn't particularly care for it. Acceptance, not agreeability, is the foundation of a comfortable relationship, and you two certainly appear to be heading in the right direction.

And speaking of comfort, it appears that the most easygoing boy/girl relationship in the class is also going strong. Nurufufufu.

"These are pretty good," Karma-kun pops a chocolate square into his mouth. "You mentioned earlier that you were nervous about making them homemade, right, Okuda-san?"

"Yes." She nods enthusiastically. "I'm not very good with cooking and baking, but Kayano-san helped me with the recipe."

"Well, I would definitely call this a success."

"Thank you, Karma-kun." Her eyes light up belatedly, and she starts fishing around her bag for something else. "Oh, I almost forgot! I have the _other_ set of chocolates you wanted."

She hands him a bag that looks identical to the first one, but this one brings that glint of deviousness to Karma-kun's eyes. "Niiiice. How does it work?"

"You simply consume a piece, and your body odor magnifies ten-fold," Okuda-san explains rather darkly, and the glare in her glasses gives me a chill. "It only lasts for twenty minutes, but the victim will be sure to experience massive distress."

"Excellent work as always, Okuda-san." My redheaded student chuckles a very sinister chuckle. "I can't wait to try these babies out."

She beams proudly, and the dark aura around her disappears. "We're still going to the National Museum of Nature and Science, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Just when I'm about to turn positively pink in shiptastic delight, Hayami-san starts to approach Chiba-kun with what is sure to be romantic intent.

"Morning, Hayami-san."

"Morning, Chiba-kun." She averts her eyes for just the slightest moment before holding out her hands. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Even with his eyes hidden, I know Chiba-kun is starstruck from that. "Thanks," he finally says, taking the holiday's gift with gratitude.

"They're dark chocolates with peppermint," Hayami-san explains, rubbing her shoulder in a very _tsundere_ -like manner. "You said before that they were your favorite, so...yeah."

"They are." He smiles at her, and she immediately eases up. "I really appreciate it."

The two of them don't say a word to each other for the next six seconds. Even so, the silence is neither awkward or tense between them. It's as if they can communicate using solely their eyes.

Then Hayami-san says, "You wanna go to the firing range later? Maybe shoot a couple targets?"

"Sure."

"And afterwards," A faint blush illuminates her cheeks. "...we could go to that new ice cream parlor?"

"...uh, yeah." Chiba-kun bites his tongue, then he boldly adds, "If you'll let me pay for you. You know, to thank you for the chocolates."

"Alright." Hayami-san smiles, and I recognize that smile as the one she reserves only for Chiba-kun.

I inwardly squeal, my face lighting up like a bright pink gumball. This is turning out much better than I had anticipated. Both the Karma/Okuda couple and the Chiba/Hayami couple have made date plans together. Granted, a trip to the museum and the firing range aren't so different from their usual platonic outings, but within the context of Valentine's day, romantic implications are sure to arise. I must discover when they'll be meeting up so that I can discreetly spy on them. The possibilities for a first kiss is simply too great to pass up.

As I make a note of this, I beam with pride at my matchmaking skills. My decision to pair these two couples up had not been unfounded. I could tell right away that Karma-kun held a level of comfort for Okuda-san that he did not have for anyone else, and the same goes for Chiba-kun with Hayami-san. To date someone, it is a given that you will be in their presence, whether physically or not. As such, one must engage with the other person without qualms or anxiety in order for the relationship to work. Many people wish to go straight into the dating phase when meeting people, but personally, I believe that ideology to be flawed. It really begins with friendship, to learn about your partner, and to enjoy their company. If you manage that, then romance will ease in almost seamlessly. You cannot learn to love something without liking it first.

"Happy V-day, Nagisa." That had been Nakamura-san handing out chocolates, and I quickly resume my noble quest. "I know your kissing skills are killer, but try not to reel in _too_ many ladies today."

I catch her wink at Kayano-san, who immediately stares into the opposite direction. Nagisa-kun just laughs good-naturedly. Nakamura-san then leaves them be, turning around and heading for what seems to be Karma-kun's direction. But she stops halfway, something having caught her eye.

"Holy crap, Sugaya! That's freaking huge!"

"You're telling me," he says, doodling away. Sitting on his desk is one mammoth of a Valentine's Day gift basket. At the base is a traditional basket weave, which serves to hold up it's heavy assortment of goodies. Truffles, pretzels, kettle corn, and pyramid of boxed chocolates standing at over 15 inches. All wrapped up and topped with a big red bow. I'm drooling just looking at it.

"If that isn't a declaration of love, I don't know what is." A grin appears on Nakamura's face, and she starts shaking Sugaya-kun's shoulders. "C'mon, man. You gotta tell me. Who's the girl whose heart you captured?"

"The fake Ritsu," he reveals with unease.

When Nakamura-san is left genuinely surprised, the real Ritsu-san jumps in to explain.

"After the second semester finals, I told her that we didn't have any plans to have her in the class until the end-of-the-year exams. That's when she told me that she had fallen for Sugaya-kun." Little hearts pop up on her screen. "She knows that she can only have limited contact with the students, but we made an arrangement where I could deliver a Valentine's Day gift on her behalf."

"So that's how it is," Nakamura-san muses, before turning back to Sugaya-kun. "You sly dog. Who knew you were such a charmer?"

"I don't even know what I did," he says in a defeatist tone. "Don't get me wrong, Nakamura-san. I'm flattered, really. It's just kind of weird getting something so extravagant from someone who's barely talked to you."

A final stroke on his art pad, and Sugaya-kun smiles with satisfaction. "Still...her presentation skills are pretty damn good."

"Now that's what I call a perfect match." Nakamura-san pats him on the back. "Be sure to invite me to the wedding."

And just like that, she sets off in search for the next couple to tease.

Okay...perhaps pairing up Nakamura-san with Sugaya-kun was wishful thinking on my part. In my defense, a relationship between them seemed very probable when looked at objectively. They're worlds apart on the academic spectrum, and I had believed that they could compensate each other in this regard. The prodigal Nakamura-san, so serious in everything she does, being taken in by Sugaya-kun's laidback nature and passion for the arts...it seemed irrefutable that they would like each other. But in my fervent desires for some middle school romance, I had overlooked something essential.

That being, opposites don't really attract. Certainly, people with differing lifestyles and values can become amicable with each other, and Nakamura-san and Sugaya-kun seem to fit in this situation. But the most people can do with others so unlike them is respect and tolerate them. With romance, you have to be willing to accept everything about your partner. Nakamura-san appreciates the arts, but would rather engage in more interpersonal activities. Sugaya-kun, at his current stage, can't hope to reach Nakamura-san's level of intellectual conversation. That's not to say they can never change, and those two could still find a kindred spirit in each other in the future. But one must have the _desire_ to reach out of their comfort zone for the sake of romance. Just like Fake Ritsu-san.

At that moment, the sound of three people hacking and coughing gets my attention, along with the rest of the class.

"Damn it, Hazama!" Terasaka-kun chugs down his water bottle. "What the hell did you put in those!?"

"Sriracha and wasabi," she answers with a toothy grin. "I got the recipe online. Sweet chocolates bore me, and I figured you three could stand to develop your palate."

Off to the side, Karma-kun is vigorously taking notes.

"It's crap." The blunt as ever Itona-kun spits his chocolate out. "Just like Muramatsu's ramen."

Normally this would be the point when Muramatsu-kun would make an inflamed retort, prompting Terasaka-kun and Yoshida-kun to egg him on. But for some reason, the class's ramen specialist doesn't take the bait.

"Shit!" Muramatsu-kun hisses from the pain, but soon recovers and starting chewing on another piece. "You know, these ain't half bad once you get used to them."

Terasaka-kun, Yoshida-kun, and Itona-kun look at him with baffled expressions. Even so, they apparently have found a good reason to be rid of Hazama-san's chocolates and immediately push their share of spicy sweets onto their friend.

"Go nuts." Yoshida-kun grins and bounces a bag of treats in his palm. "As for me, I'm gonna stick with the awesome goodies I got from Hara."

Muramatsu-kun gives him a dirty look. Everyone knows that Hara-san makes the best sweets in the class, and the fact that she only gave some to Yoshida-kun seems to bother him. "No fair, man. How come I didn't get any of her chocolates?"

"Because you're always pissing on her cooking skills," he explains. "If you want chocolates, maybe you should, I don't know...be her friend?"

This silences him, and Yoshida-kun takes this as the perfect time to indulge in his well-earned treats. But just as things seem to be calming down, Takebayashi-kun suddenly enters the picture.

"Terasaka-kun," he says, addressing the delinquents' unofficial leader. "Would you by any chance be free after school today?"

"I dunno, why?"

Takebayashi-kun adjusts his glasses. "I recently heard that our favorite maid cafe is holding a Valentine's day special, complete with a dance number by the staff, and I wish to invite you."

The males in his group are now all sporting wide grins, causing Terasaka-kun to straighten up rather defensively.

"The hell, Takebayashi?" he says gruffly. "Why would I waste my time in a place like that?"

His otaku friend is unperturbed. "Your favorite, Akemi-chan, is offering free shoulder massages to all the clients, along with some of her homemade chocolates."

Terasaka-kun stiffens, his whole body going a brilliant shade of red.

"Er...if I got time, I guess. Ain't got any other plans, so...I guess I could stop by."

Takebayashi-kun gives him a genuine smile before returning to his seat, and I can tell that he's happy to have a friend with which to celebrate the holiday.

And really, there's nothing wrong with that. Who's to say that Valentine's day shouldn't be celebrated with friends? Terasaka-kun's group, Takebayashi-kun included, doesn't seem at all troubled by their apparent lack of romance and are content to celebrate their singlehood by themselves. It's the ideal response for those without a date today.

It's rare these days to find friendships as tightly knit as theirs is, and I for one applaud it. The simple pleasure of having friends is horribly underrated and far too often taken for granted. There's this implicit belief that friendship is only secondary to finding true love, which has led to the poorly constructed concept of this "friendzone" I've heard so much about. Bollocks, I say! Having one true friend is worth ten times more than multiple insignificant romances. Thankfully, the majority of my students seem to understand that.

"Koro-sensei?"

I look up to find one of my students having addressed me. "Ah, yes, Kayano-san?"

"Happy Valentine's Day!" She politely puts her hand out and offers me a heart-shaped box. "They're true love's chocolate."

Oh my. This...this won't do. I slither about frantically as I try to explain. "I appreciate the sentiment, Kayano-san. But as your teacher, I cannot be in a romantic relationship with you. It would be horribly unethical, not just because of the age difference, but because–"

"They're not from me, silly," she laughs. "They're from Aguri."

I instantly freeze, that name echoing inside my head.

"I made them on behalf of my sister," Kayano-san continues. "I don't know if you know this, but Aguri fell in love with you. As far as I know, she never got the chance to confess to you, or to give you Valentine's Day chocolates. She may be gone now, but as her sister, I know that this is something she would've wanted to do. So please accept it, Koro-sensei."

Very slowly, I reach out to take the chocolates. Almost instinctively, my other tentacle goes to caress my necktie. I stare down at my reflection on the box. Just as quickly, I can see Yukimura-san's face looking back at me. Her luminescent, black hair...her heartfelt smile...her calm eyes...the entirety of her lovely expression. I could never forget it.

"Thank you, Kayano-san," I finally answer. "Please let your sister know that I will always treasure it."

"I will." She brings her chin down, staring at her feet. Something is clearly troubling her, and therefore, I must do what I can to help.

"Is something wrong?"

"Koro-sensei…" Then, she looks me directly in the eye. "Did you love Aguri?"

I'm taken slightly aback. That hadn't been the question I was expecting. Still, I owe it to her to give an honest answer. And so I tell her, the words coming out as natural as breathing.

"Yes, I loved your sister. And I still do. Yukimura-san was my first love, and I will continue loving her long after I am assassinated."

She gives me a smile, seemingly satisfied with my response. "I'm glad my sister ended up falling for someone like you, Koro-sensei. I can finally understand the feelings she held."

I can see where this is going, and so I decide to push just a little further. "Kayano-san, by any chance, would you happen to be having the same feelings as your sister?"

At this, her face turns bright red, and I realize that I hit the nail on the head. "Yes, I think I'm starting to have feelings for someone, just like Aguri did."

I suppress myself from giggling. Even though the object of her affections is so plainly obvious, I'll let her do the talking.

"But I'm just gonna ignore them," Kayano-san says with false confidence. "It's just a silly little crush, anyway. We have a job to do, what with the assassination and the upcoming finals. Whatever I'm feeling right now doesn't matter, and I won't let it get in the way of what's really important."

Even though she's giving me a big smile, I can see in her eyes how broken she is. I recognize that look from whenever Yukimura-san would talk about her engagement with Yanagisawa. No, I must put a stop to this before it begins. I can't let the same thing happen to her younger sister.

"Akari-san." I feel it necessary to use her real name. "By the time Sensei realized that he had fallen for your sister, by then, it was too late. I believed our feelings for each other to be insignificant, and for that, I paid the price. Now, Sensei isn't saying you need to come out with your feelings at this very moment. On the contrary, take as much time as you need. What I _am_ telling you is that you must never marginalize these feelings of yours. Don't ever deny the love in your heart just because you feel the need to maintain the status quo. I can assure you that Sensei and the rest of E-Class all believe your feelings to be meaningful. Especially Nagisa-kun."

I pat her on the head with my tentacle, and she finally gives me a pure, honest expression. It seems I've finally gotten through to her.

"Thank you, sensei. I'll keep that in mind."

Kayano-san runs back to her seat, grabs her school bag, and quietly pulls out the chocolates she had been hiding earlier. Taking a deep breath, she slowly steps up to Nagisa-kun and taps him on the shoulder. When he turns to look at her, she offers him the chocolate, all while keeping a straight face. He graciously accepts them, as any friend would. At that point, Kayano-san nervously says something that makes Nagisa-kun jump back a bit in surprise. He makes a sincere, yet playful remark and the two of them break into hearty laughter.

Well done, Sensei. Class hasn't even started and you've already brought one pair ever closer to becoming a couple. You've learned so much this year about what it means to love somebody, from your colleagues AND your students. Keep this up, and your tell-all romance novel is sure to be a rounding success. Nurufufufu.

In the last minute before class, my thoughts shift back to Yukimura-sensei, the woman who brought me to where I am today. The first person to be my teacher, and the first person I had ever loved. I stop to wonder how different things would've been if I had returned her affections sooner. Would she still be alive if I did? I cannot say for sure. I'm certain I knew she had fallen for me before she knew herself, but exactly at what point did I love her back? Was it during one of our conversations during my incarceration? Was it the moment that I had lost her in my arms? Or did I fall in love with her at first sight?

Even now, I don't have all the answers. I don't believe anybody does when it comes to love. The best we can do is learn as we go along. Discover what works, recognize where things go wrong, and above all, stick to your guns. It astounds me just what someone is willing to go through with just love as the driving force behind them. But I think that's the closest we'll ever get to knowing exactly when we love somebody. When everything we do is for that one special person.

The bell rings to signal the start of homeroom, and everyone takes their seat. I slither up to the chalkboard, ready to start the day's lesson. Only a month left until the deadline, but that's okay. I'm sure I'll learn everything I'll ever need to know before I am dead.

In the meantime, I must stay focused. For love is in the air, and I have a full day's worth of love gossip to get through.


End file.
